Container cleaning machine



Jan. 10, 1961 J. P. WHELAN CONTAINER CLEANING MACHINE Filed May 17, 19566 Sheets-Sheet l iii.

INVEN TOR. James F 14 /7/o'n 147'7OFWYEY Jan. 10, 1961 p, wHELAN2,967,321

CONTAINER CLEANING MACHINE Filed May 17, 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet 2y I N V ENTOR. dame-.5 ll be/av BY ehmw.

HTT'OR/YEY Jan. 10, 1961 J. P. WHELAN CONTAINER CLEANING MACHINE 6Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 17, 1956 Jan. 10, 1961 J. P. WHELAN 2,967,321

CONTAINER CLEANING MACHINE Filed May 17, 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 I I. .950246 I 256 25d 1 TI INVENTOR. 260 I James P M/be/a'n Jan. 10, 1961 J. P.WHELAN CONTAINER CLEANING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 17, 1956INVENTOR. James .P/Vehn Jan. 10, 1961 p. wHELAN 2,967,321

CONTAINER CLEANING MACHINE Filed May 17, 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 EQLEQSNTAINER CLEANING MACHINE Filed May 17, 1956, Ser. No. 585,479

9 Claims. (Cl. 15304) This invention relates to a container cleaningmachine.

The invention has for one of its objects the provision of a novel andefficient container cleaning machine capable of operation at relativelyhigh speeds with minimum liability of breakage or damage to thecontainers passing through the machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel cleaning machineof the character above set forth wherein the cleaning operation isperformed by air streams directed into the containers while they arepassing through the machine in an inverted position.

With these general objects in view and such others as may hereinafterappear, the invention consists in the container cleaning machine and inthe various structures, arrangements and combinations of partshereinafter described and particularly defined in the claims at the endof this specification.

In the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the present container cleaning machine;

Fig. 2 is an end view partly in cross section of the container cleaningmachine as viewed from the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the cleaning mechanism embodying a plurality ofindividual container cleaning air nozzles movable with the containers;

Fig. 4 is a plan view detail of a portion of the conveying mechanismshowing the container receiving and discharging stations;

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional detail view of a portion of the drivingmechanism;

Fig. 6 is a detail view in side elevation and partly in cross section ofmechanism for elevating individual air nozzles into their respectivecontainers during the continuous movement thereof;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the same as seen from the line 7-7 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of mechanism for engaging and registering the neckof a container with its individual cleaning nozzle;

Fig. 9 is a cross sectional detail of a nozzle supporting member and theair supply thereto;

Fig. 10 is a plan view detail partly in cross section of a rotary valvefor controlling the supply of air to the cleaning nozzles;

Fig. 11 is a plan view of a portion of the registering mechanism showingthe cam for opening and closing the. aws;

Fig. 12 is a plan view of the chain and sprocket connections foreffecting vertical adjustment of the cleaning mechanism; and

Fig. 13 is a cross sectional detail of the air supply conduit to therotary valve.

In general the invention contemplates a container cleaning machinewherein the containers are conveyed through the machine in a novelmanner and by novel conveying means which per se forms the subjectmatter of a cor 2,967,321 Patented Jan. 10, 196.1

pending application. Provision is made for directing a stream ofcleaning fluid, preferably air, into the containers through the mouthsthereof and preferably while the containers are being conveyed in aninverted position. The present cleaning machine may be operated atrelatively high speeds with minimum damage to fragile containers, suchas bottles, and the machine is further characterized by its ability tohandle various types and sizes of bottles or other open mouthedcontainers with minimum adjustment.

In order to facilitate the cleaning operation, particularly for narrowmouthed containers, provision is made in accordance with the presentinvention for introducing cleaning nozzles into the containers and formoving the nozzles along with the containers so that the cleaningoperation may be performed without interruption in the continuousmovement of the containers through the machine.

Referring now to the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment ofthe invention, the container cleaning machine illustrated in Figs. 1 and2 include a central or intermediate conveyor 10 which may comprise aflat belt arranged to run over pulleys 22, 24 at each end of theconveyor. The central conveyor 10 comprises a supporting belt forcontainers 12 deposited thereon and is arranged to advance thecontainers into a converging portion 25 of a conveyor comprising a pairof endless inflated tubes 26, 28 of rubber or like resilient materialwhich are also arranged to run over pulleys 22, 24 in side by siderelation and which are adapted to grip between them the containersadvanced therebetween by the supporting belt 10. As illustrated in Figs.1 and 2, the pulleys may be driven through drive mechanism comprising anelectric motor 30 which may be connected by a chain and sprocket drive32 to the pulley shaft 38 on which the pulley 22 is mounted. 'A chainand sprocket drive connection 37 may be provided between the pulleyshafts 38, 39 as shown.

Provision is made for transferring containers from a supply thereof ontothe central conveyor 10, and as herein shown, a supply of containers maybe fed into the machine on a supply conveyor 40 which may becontinuously driven in any usual or preferred manner, not shown. Thecontainers 12 being advanced in contiguous engagement on the conveyor 40are engaged by a worm feed screw 41 arranged to space the containers tobe received by a rotary intake spider or star wheel 42 having aplurality of spaced container engaging pockets 43. The intake spider 42in cooperation with a guide plate 44 is arranged to transfer thecontainers onto the central conveyor 10 in predetermined spaced relationas illustrated. The worm feed screw 41 and the intake spider 42 arearranged to be driven in timed relation through driving connectionsincluding an electric motor 46 operatively connected to a shaft 50connected by spur gears 51 to an intermediate shaft 53 which in turn isconnected by a chain and sprocket drive 55 to an upper shaft 57, eachshaft 53, 57 being supported in brackets attached to an upstanding drivehousing 59. As shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the worm feed screw 41 is fast ona shaft-61 rotatably supported in spaced arms 63 which are pivotallymounted on a shaft 65 journ-aled in brackets 67 attached to a side railforming a part of the machine frame. The worm feed shaft 61 is connectedby a chain and sprocket drive 71 to the upper shaft 57. The worm feedscrew 41 may be adjusted relative to the containers on the intakeconveyor 40 by rocking the supporting arms 63 to the desired position ofadjustment, the arms being locked in their adjusted position by a slotand bolt connection 73 between the brackets 67 and the arms. The intakespider 42 may also be driven from the shaft 50 through bevel gears 52 toa vertical shaft 54. The vertical shaft 54 may be connected to thetransfer spider shaft 56 by a chain and sprocket drive 58 as best shownin Fig. 4.

The containers 12 are fed into the illustrated machine in an uprightposition and are advanced on the supporting belt along a laterallyspaced portion of the inflated tube conveyor, and as they enter theconverging portion 25 of the opposed tubes 26, 28 they are firmly andresiliently gripped therebetween and carried from the upper run of theconveyor around the pulley 22 and into the lower run of the conveyor toassume an inverted position along the lower run. In practice anyrelatively heavy particles or other foreign matter which may be withinthe con tainers 12 may at this time fall out of the mouths of thecontainers by gravity during their transition from an upright to aninverted position in passing around the pulley 22.

During their travel along the lower run in an inverted position theindividual containers are subjected to air cleaning by air nozzles 66arranged to register with and to be moved along in alignment wtih theirrespective containers. The air nozzles 6d are arranged to be insertedwithin and withdrawn from the inverted containers one or more timesduring their continuous travel along the lower run whereby the airdirected into the containers effects suspension of the particles of dustor other foreign particles in the containers to be blown out of themouths of the containers during the cleaning operation, as will behereinafter more fully described.

As shown in Fig. 2, the inflated tubes 26, 28 are arranged to besupported along the lower run of the conveyor in firm grippingengagement with the containers 12, and as herein shown, the inflatedtubes may be supported by spool shaped idler guide rollers 68 having aconcave surface to fit around portions of the convex surfaces of thecylindrical tubes. In order to prevent undue friction between thedifferent diameters of the concave portions of the spool, the guiderollers 68 may be formed in separate sections so that each section mayrotate independently and thus prevent friction which might otherwiseoccur due to the variation in surface speeds at the different points ofcontact with the tubes 26, 28. T he guide rollers 68, as shown in Fig.2, are preferably supported at an angle of about 45 with respect to thetubes in a manner such as to urge the tubes upwardly and inwardly ingripping engagement with the containers carried therebetween. Therollers 68 may be supported in brackets 76 mounted on the machine frame.In order to further control the path of travel of the tubes 26, 28 alongthe lower run to cause them to be maintained in firm engagement with theinverted containers 12 and to prevent upward displacement thereof, aseries of idler rolls '78 may be supported for engagement with the upperportions of the tubes as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The rollers 78 may besupported in brackets 80 depending from side rails forming a part of themachine frame.

After passing through the lower run of the conveyor in an invertedposition the cleaned containers 12 are again carried into the upper runaround the end pulley 24 and are released from gripping engagement withthe tubes 26, 28 at a diverging portion of the conveyor, as indicated at92, and the cleaned containers may then be transferred from the centralbelt 1t} onto a discharge conveyor 94 by a rotary transfer disk 96disposed between the conveyors, as shown, and by engagement with theguide plate 44 in a manner similar to the transfer of the containersfrom the supply conveyor 40 onto the central belt 10. The rotarytransfer disk 96 may be driven in a manner similar to the supplytransfer disk 42 through connections from the shaft 50, bevel gears 98and chain and sprocket drive use as shown in detail in Fig. 4.

As shown in Figsl and 4, provision is made for divetting the tubes 26,28 laterally outwardly along the upper run to provide the converging anddiverging portions 25 and 92 so that the containers received on thecentral conveyor 10 are free of contact with the tubes 26,

28, and provision is also made for diverting the tubes verticallydownwardly out of the plane of transfer of the containers to and fromthe central belt 10 whereby to permit lateral transfer of the containersto and from the central belt 10 without interference from the tubes. Asillustrated in Figs. 1 and 4, idler rollers 102, 104 are supported inspaced relation for engaging the outer surfaces of opposed tubesadjacent the discharge end of the conveyor along the upper run, andidler rolls 106, 108 are supported in spaced relation for engagementwith the inner surfaces of the tubes to provide the diverging portion 92at one end of the conveyor. As further shown in Figs. 1 and 4, idlerrolls 110, 1712 are also provided for engaging the underside of thetubes along the upper run adjacent the discharge end of the conveyorwhich cooperate with another set of idler rolls 114, 116 spacedtherefrom and disposed at a lower plane for engaging the upper surfacesof the tubes-to divert the tubes downwardly as described. One or moreintermediate idler pulleys 118 may also be provided for maintaining thetubes in their lower diverted position. Idler rolls 12%, 122 engageablewith the upper and lower surfaces respectively cooperate to guide thetubes upwardly into the normal plane of the upper run as illustrated inFig. l. Idler rolls 124 engageable with the inner surfaces of the tubesare arranged to cooperate with idler rolls 126 engageable with the outersurfaces of the tubes to provide the converging portion 25 at the otherend comprising the receiving end of the conveyor, as illustrated in Fig.4. Vertically disposed auxiliary rollers 123 may also be provided forengagement with the outer sides of the tubes to prevent lateraldisplacement outwardly thereof during their passage through the divertedportion of the upper run as shown. As shown in Fig. l, the pulley shafts3h, 3 may be journaled in upright brackets 13% supported from the baseof the machine, the brackets 1313 being provided with connecting siderails 132, 134 to which the various roller supporting brackets may beattached. t will be observed that the central supporting belt It) ispreferably guided upwardly over the rollers 78 along the lower run ofthe conveyor out of engagement with the bottoms of the invertedcontainers as shown.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, each pulley 22, 24 is provided with anintermediate or central portion having a flat cylindrical surface foraccommodating the intermediate or central belt 10 on which thecontainers are supported and advanced into and out of engagement withthe tubes 26, 28. Each pulley is further provided with cylindricalconcave portions on each side of and slightly above the flat surface,the concave portions being adapted to conform to the shape of thecylindrical tubes 26, 28. It will be observed that the concave portionsare formed to correspond substantially to the outer surfaces defined bythe outer lower quadrant of each cylindrical tube in the upper run, theconcave portions preferably being extended slightly beyond each end ofthe lines defining the quadrant, so that the lower portion of eachquadrant provides a base for frictional driving engagement with theinner run of its tube, and the outer portions of each quadrant tend tourge the tubes inwardly into firm engagement with the containers carriedtherebetween.

In order to prevent twisting of the tubes 26, 23 relative to the pulleys22, 24 during their passage through the machine, the interior surface ofeach rubber tube may be provided with a relatively narrow endless band146 of fabric or like material secured to the inner surface along theinner run of the tube in alignment with the base portions of the concaveportions of the pulleys so that in passing around the pulleys the bandportions will follow the base portions of the quadrants and thus preventlateral or rotary movement or the tubes relative to the pulleys. It willbe understood that the bands 146 may comprise a flexible but relativelynon-stretchable fabric or like material so that the inner runs of thetubes will tend to follow the base portions of the pulleys, asdescribed, to maintain the tubes in a straight run relative to thepulleys. In effect the bands 146 act as narrow belts disposed within thetubes.

It will be observed that the spacing of the concave portions of thepulleys is such as to dispose the tubes in a normal slightly spacedrelation, as illustrated in Fig. 2, for eflicient gripping engagementwith average. size containers. In operation the tubes may be inflated ata relatively low pressure, approximately one and one-half poundspressure for example, providing ample resiliency for gripping engagementwith the sides of the containers. While the normal pressure of one andone-half pounds is capable of accommodating a wide range of sizes, inpractice the tubes may be inflated to a slightly greater pressure toaccommodate very small containers, or the tubes may be deflated to aslightly lower pressure to accommodate relatively large size containers.

In operation it will be seen that the containers on the belt in theupper run of the conveyor are supported relative to the tubes 26, 28 sothat the tubes will firmly engage the sides of the containers fedtherebetween and will carry the same downwardly around the pulley 22with the bottoms of the containers in engagement with the belt 10, andwhen the containers reach the lower run in an inverted position the belt10 is guided out of engagement with the bottoms of the containers sothat the containers are engaged solely by the tubes during their travelthrough the lower run. The inverted containers are moved into operativeposition with respect to the cleaning mechanism as will be described.After the cleaning operation the containers being carried from the lowerrun around the pulley 24 again engage the central supporting belt 10,and when they reach the upper run the containers are released by thetubes at the diverging portion 92 of the inflated conveyor to be againsupported by the central conveyor.

From the description thus far it will be observed that the presentstructure of cleaning apparatus provides a simple and economical mannerof conveying containers or other articles from an upright position toaninverted position into operative relation to the cleaning mechanism. Itwill also be observed that containers of various sizes and shapes arefirmly and resiliently gripped between the tubes, the resiliency of thetube conforming to the shape and size of the containers or otherarticles gripped thercbetween.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the pneumatic cleaning mechanismincludes a plurality of spaced cleaning units, indicated generally at150, each cleaning unit having a hollow air nozzle 60 mounted toregister with successive spaced containers as they enter the lower runof the conveyor and to move along in alignment therewith, provisionbeing also made for vertically reciprocating the horizontally movingnozzles into and out of the mouths of the inverted containers during thecleaning operation. As herein shown, each nozzle 60 is supported forreciprocation in a tubular member 200, see Fig. 9, forming a part of theair supply, the lower end of the hollow nozzle being provided with ahead portion 202 having a sliding fit with the interior of the tubularmember. The tubular member 200 is supported by upper and lower brackets204, 206 attached to a vertical supporting plate 208, the upper bracket204 having a cylindrical portion 210 fitted into the upper end of thetubular member 200 to form an airtight seal. The lower end of thetubular member is provided with a threaded closure cap 212 providing anair chamber 215 below the head portion 202. The chamber 215 is providedwith an air inlet having a nipple 216 connected by a flexible tube 218to a source of air. The upper end of the nozzle 60 is guided in abracket 21 7 also carried by the vertical supporting plate 208.

The vertical supporting plate 208 is connected by a horizontal bracket220 to an endless chain 222 and may be supported and maintained in itsvertical position by upper and lower arms 224, 226 provided with rollers228 riding in upper and lower U-shaped tracks 239, 232 as shown in Fig.2. The roller tracks 230, 232 are attached to the horizontally extendedarms 234 of a stationary bracket 236 which is connected by brackets 238mounted for vertical adjustment in an upright and longitudinallyextended central frame member 240.

As illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, the chain 222 is engaged in drivingrelation with a drive sprocket 242 which is mounted for rotation on abearing sleeve 244, the latter being more clearly shown in Fig. 5. Thesleeve is threaded for vertical adjustment in a bracket 246 secured tothe central frame member 240. As shown in detail in Fig. 5, the sleeve244 forms a bearing for a vertical drive shaft 248 having a sprocket 250keyed to its upper end. The lower end of the shaft 248 is connected tothe sprocket 242 through extensible fittings permitting verticaladjustment of the drive sprocket relative to the shaft. As herein shown,the lower end of the shaft 248 is provided with laterally extended studs252 which cooperate with vertical slots formed in a drive tube 254connected at its upper end by screws 256 to the hub of the sprocket 242.A ball bearing 258 is interposed between the hub of the sprocket 242 anda flanged end portion 269 of the bearing sleeve 244. The upper end ofthe shaft 248 may be journaled in a bearing bracket 262 mounted on theupper surface of the central frame member 240.

The sprocket 250 keyed to the upper end of the shaft 248 may beconnected by a chain 264 to a sprocket 266 fast on a vertical shaft 268which is connected by bevel gears 270 to an intermediate shaft 272. Theintermediate shaft 272 may be connected to the motor 46 by a belt andpulley drive 274, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

In the operation of the apparatus thus far describedthe spaced nozzleunits 69 are continuously moved along in alignment with the spacedcontainers being conveyed in an inverted position along the lower run ofthe conveyor. In practice the spacing of the containers is made tocorrespond to the spacing of the nozzle cleaning units, and thecontainers are arranged to be moved at the same rate of speed and insubstantial alignment with successive cleaning units. As herein shown,provision is made for positively registering each nozzle in alignmentwith the relatively small mouth of its container as the containers enterthe lower run. As shown in Fig. 3, the registering mechanism for eachnozzle unit may comprise a pair of gripping jaws 276, 278 pivotallymounted at 280, 282 respectively in the upper bracket 224 attached tothe vertical supporting plate 208. The gripping jaws 276, 278 are urgedtogether in gripping relation around the neck of a bottle by a spring284 extended thercbetween and are also connected by gear segments 285 asshown in Fig. 8. In order to open the jaws to receive the neck of acontainer being carried into the lower run, one of the jaws 276 isprovided with an arm carrying a cam roller 286 arranged to cooperatewith a cam piece 288 disposed adjacent the start of the lower run asshown in Fig. 11. The cam piece 238 may be supported on an extensionfrom the upper arm 234 of the stationary bracket 236. In operation asthe bottles are carried around into the lower run the necks of thebottles enter between the open jaws, and as the bottles are moved alongthe lower run the roller 286 rides off the stationary cam 288 to permitclosure of the jaws around the neck of the bottle, thus assuringpositive alignment of the nozzle 60 with the relatively small mouthopening of the bottles. A similar cam piece 290 may be provided adjacentthe other end of the conveyor to effect opening of the jaws to releasethe containers after completion of the cleaning operation. In practicethe spaced relationship and the rate of travel of the nozzle units andthe containers is such as to effect substantial registration of themouths of successive containers with, their respective nozzles. However,the registering jaws 276, 278 serve as a safety to assure positivealignment and to prevent engagement of the nozzle with the edge of themouth during elevation of the nozzle into the container. It will beobserved that the resiliency of the tubes 26, 28 between which thecontainers are gripped and conveyed permit slight realignment of thecontainers when the necks thereof are engaged by the registering jaws276, 278 in the manner described.

Referring now to Figs. 2, 6 and 7, the nozzle reciprocating mechanismfor inserting and withdrawing the nozzle into and out of the containerduring the cleaning operation includes a forked rocker arm 292cooperating with a pin 294 extended laterally from the nozzle tube 60.The arm 292 is pivotally mounted at 296 in a bracket 298 attached to thevertical supporting plate 208. The arm 292 is provided with a gearsegment 302 meshing with a gear segment 394 of an operating arm 306pivotally mounted at 308. The operating arm 306 i provided with a roller310 which cooperates with a stationary cam piece 312 supported on thelower arm 234 of the stationary bracket 236. A coil spring 314 isarranged to urge the roller 310 against its cam piece 312 and to effectrocking of the arm 3136 to elevate the nozzle when permitted to do so bythe cam. As herein shown, the spring 314 is coiled about a reduceddiameter portion of a link 316 pivotally mounted at 318. The free end ofthe link extends through an opening in a lateral extension 320 from thearm 306, the spring being interposed between the extension and ashouldered portion of the link as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. The cam piece312 is preferably designed so that the nozzle member 60 will be insertedinto its container immediately after the container has been grippedbetween the jaws 276, 278 to register the same. As illustrated in Fig.1, the nozzle remains in its elevated position for a short time duringwhich the dust and other foreign particles are blown out of thecontainers whereupon the nozzles are withdrawn at a point intermediatethe ends of the conveyor to complete a first cleaning'operation.Thereafter the nozzles are again inserted into the containers to performa second cleaning operation, the nozzles being again withdrawn as thecontainers approach the end of the lower run, thus performing twocleaning operations during the travel of the containers through thelower run of the conveyor.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention the air supply to thevarious air nozzle units is arranged to enter the chamber 215 below thelower end or head portion 282 of the hollow nozzles 60 slidingly mountedin the chamber so that in operation the air may flow from the chamberthrough the hollow nozzles during reciprocation of the same therein. Airis supplied to the chambers 215 through flexible tubes 218 which areconnected to the movable member 322 of a rotary valve unit indicatedgenerally at 324 in Figs. 10 and 13. The stationary member 326 of thevalve is provided wifh radial passageways 328 having circumferentialextensions 330 for communication with the ports 332 of the movablememher 322 as they are rotated therepast, one of the passageways 328permitting air to enter a flexible tube 218 and chamber 215 to performthe first cleaning operation, that is during extension of the nozzlesinto the containers at the beginning of their travel through the lowerrun, the second passageway permitting air to enter during the secondextension of the nozzles into the containers, as described, to performthe second cleaning operation. In practice each flexible tube 218 may beconnected to supply air to three cleaning units, the center cleaningunit being connected by the tube 218, and the two adjacent cleaningunits being connected to the central unit by connecting flexible tubes334 as indicated in Fig. 1. As illustrated in Fig. 3, the flexible tubes218 are of considerable length so as to maintain communication withtheir respective cleaning units during movement of the units throughouttheir travel about the centrally disposed rotary valve unit,

the movable member 322 of the rotary valve unit 324 being rotated intimed relation to such nozzle movement. As herein shown, the movablemember 322 of the rotary valve units forms the lower end of an elongatedtubular member 336 supported and mounted for rotation in the centralframe member 240. The upper end of the tubular member 336 may beconnected to any usual or preferred source of compressed air through anadapter 338 and pipe 340, the compressed air following the centralpassageway through the tubular member 336 and communicating with theradial passageways 328 in the stationary member 326 of the rotary valve.Rotation of the tubular member 336 in timed relation to the movement ofthe cleaning nozzle units may be effected through a chain and sprocketdrive 341 to a vertical shaft 342 which is connected by a second chainand sprocket drive 344 to the vertical shaft 268 as shown in Fig. 3.

Referring again to Fig. 5, provision is made for manually adjusting thethreaded bearing sleeve 244 vertically in its bracket 246 in order toraise and lower the drive sprocket 242 to accommodate differentpositions of adjustment of the nozzle carrying units and forsimultaneously adjusting the stationary brackets 236 carrying the rollertracks 230, 232 in order to vertically raise or lower the nozzlecarrying units correspondingly for different sizes of containers. Asseen in Fig. 5, a sprocket 346 keyed to the sleeve 244 is interposedbetween the top face of the bracket 246 and the underside of a retainingmember 348 secured to the bracket 246 by screws 350. The sprocket 346 isconnected by a chain 352 to a sprocket 354 fast on a vertical shaft 356supported for rotation in the frame member 358. The upper end of theshaft 356 is provided with a hand wheel 364) for rotating the threadedsleeve 244 in its bracket 246 to effect vertical adjustment of the drivesprocket 242. As illustrated in Figs.'3 and 12, the chain 352 also runsaround a sprocket 262 fast on a vertical shaft 364 forming one of twelvesimilar shafts, each of which is connected to rotate together by a chainand sprocket drive 366. The lower end of each shaft 364 is threaded forcooperation with threaded portions of the brackets 238 which form a partof each vertically adjustable stationary supporting unit carrying theupper and lower guide tracks 230, 232. Thus, in operation rotation ofthe hand wheel 360 will effect simultaneous adjustment of the drivesprocket 242 and each stationary track support unit to raise or lowerthe movable nozzle supporting units relative to the containers to becleaned.

From the above description it will be seen that the present inventionprovides novel and efficient pneumatic cleaning apparatus for aircleaning containers, such as bottles, which are being continuouslyconveyed in an in verted position and which is particularly adapted forair cleaning the interior of bottles having relatively small mouthopenings by the provision of means for inserting the nozzles within thecontinuc-usly moving containers during the cleaning operation whereby tocause any dust or other foreign particles in the containers to besuspended therein and to be blown out of the mouth thereof.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been hereinillustrated and described, it will be understood that the invention maybe embodied in other forms within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed 1s:

1. Container cleaning apparatus comprising, in combination, means forresiliently gripping and continuously conveying at a relatively highspeed open mouthed containers in an inverted position and in spacedrelation over a straight line portion of an endless path, air cleaningmeans including a supply of air under pressure and a plurality of spacedair nozzles connected therewith, means for moving the nozzles inalignment with the spaced con tainers along said straight line portion,means operating independently of said air supply for reciprocating thenozzles into and out of the containers during the continuous movementthereof to perform the cleaning operation, and means comprising opposedgripper members movable with the nozzles and engageable with the necksonly of the containers for positively registering the mouths of theresiliently gripped containers with said reciproca-ble nozzlm, saidopposed gripper members effecting movement of a slightly misalignedresiliently gripped container to an aligned position.

2. Container cleaning apparatus having, in combination, an endlessconveyor means for resiliently gripping and continuously conveyingcontainers in spaced relation from an upright position in an upper runto an inverted position in a lower straight line run, container supplymeans including means for transferring containers from a supply inpredetermined spaced relation to said endless conveyor, air cleaningmeans including a plurality of spaced cleaning units having air nozzlesmovable in alignment with the spaced and inverted containers along saidlower run and to which compressed air is supplied, means operatingindependently of said compressed air for reciprocating the nozzles intoand out of the containers during the continuous movement thereof, andmeans comprising opposed gripper jaws movable with the nozzles andengageable with the necks only of the containers for positivelyregistering the mouths of the containers with said reciprocable nozzles,said opposed gripper jaws effecting movement of a slightly misalignedresiliently gripped container to an aligned position.

3. Container cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein eachspaced cleaning unit is connected to an endless chain, and means fordriving the chain in timed relation to the movement of the containers.

4. Container cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein eachmovable cleaning unit is mounted for vertical adjustment, and provisionis made for adjusting all of said cleaning units simultaneously toaccommodate difierent sizes of containers.

5. Container cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein thecompressed air connections to each movable cleaning unit includes an airchamber in which the lower end of a nozzle is mounted for reciprocation,a rotary valve, flexible connections between said rotary valve and saidair chambers, and means for rotating said valve in timed relation to themovement of said cleaning units.

6. Container cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein eachcleaning unit is independently operated and wherein the reciprocatingmeans is arranged to effect insertion and withdrawal of the nozzles atleast twice during the travel of the containers along the lower run ofthe conveyor, and wherein the rotary valve is arranged to release air tothe nozzles while they are inserted in the containers whereby to effecttwo cleaning operations during the travel of the containers through thelower run.

7. For use with container cleaning apparatus having a conveyercomprising a pair of opposed endless resilient elements disposed side byside and guided to provide an upper and a lower run, said resilientelements being arranged to grip and convey open mouth containerstherebetween and to carry the containers from an upright position in theupper run to an inverted position in the lower nm, the improvementcomprising air cleaning means including a supply of air under pressureand a plurality of spaced air nozzles connected therewith, means formoving the nozzles in alignment with the spaced containers along saidlower run, means for reciprocating the nozzles into and out of thecontainers during the continuous movement thereof to perform thecleaning operation, and opposed registering members movable with thenozzles and engageable with the necks of the containers for efiectingmovement of a slightly misaligned container gripped between theresilient elements to an aligned position whereby to positively registerthe mouths of the resiliently gripped containers with said reciprocablenozzles.

8. Container cleaning apparatus comprising, in combination, means forresiliently gripping and continuously conveying open mouthed containersin an inverted position and in spaced relation over a straight lineportion of an endless path, air cleaning means including a supply of airunder pressure and a plurality of spaced nozzles connected therewith,means for continuously moving the nozzles in alignment with the spacedcontainers throughout the length of said straight line portion, andmeans operating independently of said air supply for reciprocating thenozzles into and out of the containers during the continuous movementthereof to perform the cleaning operation.

9. Container cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein thenozzles are also moved over a straight line portion of an endless pathconforming to the straight line portion of said conveying means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,568,594 Flint Jan. 5, 1926 2,298,475 Fechheimer Oct. 13, 19422,354,308 Everett July 25, 1944 2,385,050 Becker Sept. 18, 19452,628,382 Fechheimer Feb. 17, 1953 2,634,737 Rowe Apr. 14, 19532,665,697 Hohl et al. Jan. 12, 1954 2,725,641 Lindsay Dec. 6, 1955FOREIGN PATENTS 32,072 Holland Feb. 15, 1934

